McDonalds joins in on Snapchat frenzy

Published March 11, 2014 at 6:51 am

Marketing is all about making a lasting impression. Sometimes to do that, you have to provide a fleeting image.

McDonald’s is hoping that this formula will work for them, becoming the latest company to jump feet-first into the Snapchat frenzy. The service, which allows users to exchange temporary pictures or videos with friends, boasts over 30 million active users.

Using the tried-and-true method of combining an engaging new platform with a massive global icon, Mcdonald’s turned to basketball superstar LeBron James to help promote their fare.

James appears at the end of a short video, saying “Welcome to the club, baby!” It’s a clever play on the burger joint’s new bacon clubhouse sandwich, which is then pictured on the next screen alongside text describing it.

The pitch also features top NFL prospect Johnny Manziel and Superbowl-winning cornerback Richard Sherman.

The campaign is reminiscent of one launched by Taco Bell, which has a similar interest in connecting with the sort of young people that are likely to use Snapchat. Last May, Taco Bell announced its foray into the temporary picture world on Twitter, and then began sending its followers snaps of its menu items as a way of drumming up interest.

While Taco Bell was more focused with their marketing, McDonald’s is making use of Snapchat’s story feature. Stories are generally more widely broadcast, and can include all of the user’s friends, a custom list, or everyone on Snapchat.

Thus, it’s the perfect vehicle for a company eager to communicate with a lot of hungry people at once. These stories are visible for longer than standard messages.

A recent article in Ad Age detailed the benefits of using this sort of technique.

“The potential to tell a longer-form story and the clearer privacy boundaries inherent in stories could give brands more of an incentive to have a presence on the Snapchat network. (However, brands like Wet Seal and GrubHub are still sending one-to-one messages.)

For example, HBO introduced a Snapchat account for ‘Girls’ by producing a 200-second story with pictures and videos stitched together featuring the stars from the red-carpet event for the Season 3 premiere,” explains author Cotton Delo.

Could your brand benefit from exposure on a new platform? If so, cultivating a following on Snapchat could be the answer.